STCU has donated $5,000 to each of three new career and technical schools that opened this year for high-school students.
The schools specialize in giving students skills and experience in high-demand fields. Some will go straight into the workforce after high school, while others continue their career preparation in college or other post-secondary programs.
“As an organization founded by teachers, STCU remains committed to education,” said STCU President/CEO Tom Johnson, who presented the three $5,000 checks Monday and Tuesday. “We’re particularly excited to support these programs, which give students options in fields that are expected to provide jobs for decades to come. That’s good for the students, as well as the communities we serve.”
The schools, all of which opened at the start of this school year, are:
- Kootenai Technical Education Campus (KTEC) – Where 500 Kootenai County high school students are preparing for industry certifications in programs that include automotive technology, industrial welding, computer repair, health care, engineering design and automation, and more. Students spend 2 ½ hours of their school day at KTEC, and the rest at their home high school.
“That donation was a big surprise that will assist with providing opportunities for our students to experience workforce visits that otherwise wouldn’t be possible,” said Mark Cotner, KTEC director/CEO.
- Spokane Valley Tech– When fully implemented, Valley Tech will offer 10 programs focused on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Already, students are benefitting from four such programs: sports medicine, fire science, cosmetology, and aerospace and advanced manufacturing. The school is a collaboration of four school districts and operates in partnership with local businesses and industry, many of which are committed to providing meaningful internships and worksite learning programs.“This generous donation will go a long way toward providing a great learning environment for Spokane Valley Tech students,” said Ben Small, superintendent of Central Valley School District. “On behalf of the superintendents and school districts in the Spokane Valley, I’d like to express our gratitude to STCU for this gift which reaffirms the strong partnership STCU has maintained with the region’s education partners for many years.”
- Riverpoint Academy – The new academy is located in the Innovate Washington building near downtown Spokane. There, high school students from the Mead School District work in collaboration with peers, taking on real-world challenges with a focus on building creativity, entrepreneurialism and STEM competency. It partners with colleges that have a presence at Riverpoint, giving students expanded opportunities to learn.
Riverpoint Academy benefits from the guidance of an advisory board comprised of leaders in business, manufacturing, education and government. Tom Johnson is a member of that board, lending his unique perspective as CEO of the credit union and a former vice president at Whitworth University.
Spokane Teachers Credit Union
Founded in 1934, STCU is a not-for-profit cooperative with 110,000 members and more than $1.6 billion in total assets. STCU directs its financial, in-kind and volunteer support to three general areas: education, arts and culture, and community. To learn more about our giving guidelines, go to stcu.org/local.